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L. M. DYSON May 30; 1933.

' LOCK Filed Feb. '8, 1932 Patented May 3%, 1933 UNITED s'rarss @TENT FFi CE LOUIS M. DYSON, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN HARDWARE CORPORATION, OE NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT LOCK Application filed February 8, 1932. Serial No. 581,509.

My invention relates to that class of locks commonly known as permutation locks, and which are provided with means comprising a part of the lock structure for locking and unlocking the mechanism, and an object of my invention, among others, is the provision of means in a lock of this type whereby the operation of locking and unlocking may be guided, to a great extent at least, by the sense of feeling. And a further object of the invention is the provision of a lock of this type that shall be simple in construction and particularly efiicient in operation.

One form of a lock embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a face View of my improved lock.

Figure 2 is an edge view of'the same.

Figure 3 is a face View with parts broken away on a plane denoted by the dotted line 33 of Figure 4 to show construction.

Figure 4 is an edge View on enlarged scale with parts broken away to show construction,

Figure 5 is a View of the front lock section with parts therein broken away to show construction.

Although my invention is not limited to use in a lock of any particular kind, yet, as it finds ready application in that type known as padlocks, I have selected such a lock for the purpose of disclosure of my invention herein, the case of this particular form of lock comprising two parts, a front section 6 and a back section 7 abutting each other along a central line and held together as by means of screws or other fastening devices. A shackle is longitudinally and rotatably mounted in the case, said shackle having a long leg 8 secured in the case to permit such longitudinal and rotary movement in a manner common to locks of this type, a short leg 9 of the shaclne being movable into and out of the case and having a notch for engagement with a locking lug 10 on a lockin lever 11 pivotally mounted in the case. K

releasing lug 12 on said lever is adapted to of this class, the spring for accomplishing this purpose not being shown herein.

An arbor 16 is rotatably mounted in the case in any suitable manner its outer end bein engaged in a recess in the inner end of a knob 17 which is rotatable independently of the arbor. The tumblers 15 are mounted on the arbor 16 in a manner common to locks of this type and for which reason a further and detailed description is omitted herein, it being sufficient to state that spacers 18 are employed to separate the tumblers as in, prior devices. The tumbler 19 is secured to the inner end of the knob 17 and is engageable with one of the other tumblers as by means of contacting studs 20. The knob is rotatably held in position by means of a retaining ring 21 secured to the knob in any suitable manner inside of the caseand resting against the inner surface of the outer wall of said case, the ends of said ring being separated as at 22.

In the structure herein shown the hole in said ring is flattened on one side to fit the flattened side of the knob as shown in Fig.

3, and the ring rests against the inner surface of the case on one side and against the tumbler 19 on the opposite side, said tumbler being held in place by a lip on the inner end of the knob, as shown in Fig. 4.

I have provided means, as hereinbefore mentioned, whereby the knob may be operated for locking and unlocking purposes by employing the sense of feeling, these means enabling the operator by means of such sense,-t0 determine the degree of rotation of the knob in either direction. In effecting this purpose I provide an escutch- SDI eon 23 which is secured on the shank of the knob and which has an indicating point 24 formed on one side, as by pressing out the metal of the escutcheon at this point. This point operates in connection with a stationary point 25 formed on the case to denote the zero or starting point of the knob and hence the tumbler 19 secured thereto.

A series of notches 26 is formed in the edge of the opening through the front section of tne case in which the shank of the knob is located, and a detent 27 located in a recess 28 in the knob is pressed as by means of a spring 29 into said notches, the end of the detent being tapered to engage said notches through a notch 40 opening from the hole in the escutcheon. These notches 26 are so formed relatively to the slots 30 in the tumblers 15 that in certain positions of the knob 17 with the detent seated in one of the notches 26 the tail 14 of the lever 11 may enter a slot or slots in the tumblers.

The ends of the detent 27 and the notches 26 are so formed that the sense of touch will readily denote when the detent passes from one notch to another and by said sense therefore it may be readily determined when the required number of said notches have been passed by the detent in rotation of the knob in one direction to locate a tumbler with slot registering with the tail lat of the lever 11, and by the same means it may be ascertained when the knob has been rotated in an opposite direction a sulficient distance to locate another tumbler in proper position for its slot to register with the tail 14, this operation being repeated by alternately reversing the movement of the knob 17 until all of the tumblers have their slots registered with the tail 14, whereupon the spring 13 will force the lever 11 to engage the taii l i thereof with the slots in the tumblers and to disengage the locking lug 10 from the leg 9 of the shackle whereupon the latter will be forced outward]. removing the leg from the opening in the case and thereby completing the unlocking operation of the lock.

I claim:

1. A lock comprising a case having an opening therein, with notches formed in the edge of said opening, a knob having a hub rotatably mounted in said opening and operatively connected with locking mechanism within the case, an escutcheon secured to said hub without the case, a retaining ring secured to the knob, said hub having a radially formed recess opening adjacent the separated ends of said retaining ring, and

spring pressed detent located in said recess with its end engaged with said notches to effect step-by-step movement of said knob.

2. A lock comprising a case'having an opening therein with notches formed in the edge of said opening, a knob having a hub LOUIS M. DYSON. 

